Cap-crimping die.



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.,

ROSS V. CRAGGS, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,T0 THE NATIONAL EXCHANGE BANK OF BALTIMORE; A. COBPOB'ATION 0F MARYLAND.

` oAP-'eEIMPING DIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

Application led September 29, 1909. Serial No. 520,086.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ross V. CRAcGs, a citizen of the United States, andresiding at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certainnew and useful. Improvements in Cap-Crimping Dies, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to cap crimping dies particularly adapted for usein bottlecapping machines for ixedly securing a cap upon a bottle neckto close the mouth of the bottle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cap-crimping die in amanner as hereinafter set forth and claimed whereby it can be used forbottle necks of varying diameters within certain limits so as toovercome the necessity of using a separate die for every diameter forcapping bottles when the diameter of the bottle neck varies withincertain limits.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a cap crimping dieparticularly adapted for use in bottle-capping machines which shall besimple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable, eflicientin its use, readily set up with respect to the elements ofabottle-capping machine and inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists inthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts ashereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of theinvention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations andmodifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of theclaim hereunto appended. f

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote correspondingparts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a vertical sectionalview of a cap crimping die in accordance with this invention,illustrating the same in an inoperative position, Fig. 2 'is a like viewshowing the position of the die immediately preceding the crimpingoperat-ion and further showing the cap upon the mouth end of the bottle,Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the crimpers, Fig. 4 is a crosssectional view of the mouth end of a bottle showing the cap securedthereto! and further showing t-he cap crimping die, and, Fig. 5 is aplan of a plurality of crimpers or crimping elements showing theirarrangement with respect to each other.

A cap crimping diein accordance with this invention includes a carrier,independent crimping elements fulcrumed in the carrier and apressure-exerting member forthe crimping elements. y'By way of example,the die is illustrated in connection with an-inner and an outer piston 1and 2 respectively, the carrier which is designated by the referencecharacter 3 is secured Ato the innerpiston byy a headed member 4 and apin 5. The shank of the headed member 4 extends Vthrough the carrier 3centrally thereof and into the piston-1 yand the pin `5 extends throughthe piston 1 and the upper end of the shank of the headed element 4. Thehead of the element 4 is indicated by the reference character 6 andabuts against the lower face of the carrier 3. The pressureexertingmember which is indicated by the reference character 7, incloses thecarrier 3, and is formed integral withV the o uter piston 2 and isadapted to engage the crimping elements indicated by the referencecharacter 8, whereby the cap 9 which is mounted upon the bottle neck 10will be crimped around the bead 11 formed on the periphery of the bottleneck as illustrated in Fig. 4.

The carrier 8 consists of an annular body provided on its Alower facewith an annular depending extension 12, and furthermore provided onitslower face at one side of the extension with an annular groove 13substantially cylindrical in cross-section and which constitutes asocket in which are mounted thev circular off-sets 14 of the crimpingelements, and by such an arrangement the crimping elements are fulcrumedso as to swing loosely in the carrier 3. VThe extension 12 constitutes ameans for limitingthe inward movement of the crimping elements 8 asclearly shown in Fig. "1.

Each of the crimping elements 8 consists of a strip of thin metallicmaterial cut away `to provide the circular off-set 14 which isangularly-disposed with respect to a fiat upper edge 15, such edge 15being of such length as to project outwardly from the carrier 3 so as tobe engaged by the pressureexerting member "ir when said member is moveddownwardly by the piston 2 to actuate the crimping elements 8. Thecrimping elements 8 are so disposed as to have a tendency to extendinwardly when in inoperative position and each of the elements is formedwith an inclined crimping edge 1T terminating at its inner end in arecess 19. The edge 17 conforms to the top of the periphery of thebottle neck below the bead 11 and the wall of the recess 19 is adaptedto crimp the cap around the bead 11 and the recess -19 allows for theedge 17 to swing inwardly below the bead so as to compress the lowei`portion of the cap around the neck of the bottle below the bead.

The crimping elements 8 are annularly disposed with respect to thecarrier 3 and are circumferentially positioned around the extension 12and are further spaced from each other with the space formed betweeneach pair of elements gradually increasing in width outwardly, wherebyclearances will be provided for the ribs on the cap after crimping whenoccasion so requires. As before stated, the crimping elements areindependently shiftable with respect to each other so that the die willautomatically adjust itself to any irregularities in the bottle neckwhen the edges 15 of the elements 8 are engaged by the member 7 so thatthe pressure upon the elements, due to the operation of the member 7will be evenly distributed throughout whereby the cap will be laused toperfectly fit the bottle neck when secured thereto, thereby preventingany liability of leakage. As before stated, the edges 15 of the elementsS are adapted to be engaged by the pressure-exerting member 7, and thatedge of the member 7 which engages the edges 15 and which is indicatedby the reference character 2O is rounded.

The carrier 3 is formed of two parts which are suitably connectedtogether and which permit of positioning the circular olf-sets withinthe socket 13. ln this connection it will be stated thata plurality ofcrimping elements 8 are mounted in each of the parts or sections of thecarrier after which the sect-ions are lixedly secured together, therebysecuring the crimping ele` ments to the carrier.

When, the die and its operating mechanism as shown are normal, thepressure-exerting member 7 has the upper portion thereof positionedabove the carrier 3 so that a space 21 is formed. This allows for thenecessary movement downwardly of the member 7 when it is shifted toactuate the elements 8 to crimp the cap 9 after the cap is held by thepiston 1.

rllhe headed member L constitutes what may be termed a holdingdownmedium for the cap 9, in this connection it will be stated that afterthe cap hasv been placed between the crimping elements and the bottlepositioned, the piston 1 moves downwardly carrying the headed member 4ftherewith and also the carrier 3, the head (l of the member et engagesthe cap 9 and owing to the exerting of pressure upon the piston 1 thehead 6 will securely hold the cap upon the neck of the bottle, the partsbeing in the position as shown in Fig. 2, the piston 2 then movesdownwardly shifting the member i' therewith, the edge 20 of said memberengaging with the edges 15 ofthe crimping elements S will swing thecrimping elements inwardly causing the crimping edge ofeach of theelements 8 to engagel the cap and crimp it upon the bottle neck aroundthe bead.

That I claim is:

A bottle crimping die comprising a carrier having a centrally-disposeddepending cylindrical extension and further having surrounding saidextension an annular groove constituting a socket, a concentric` row ofcrimping elements surrounding `said extension and arranged in closeproximity to each other and each consisting of an inwardly curvedbody-portion having a relatively long flat upper edge and a circularoff-set projecting from the upper inner corner of the body-portion andfulcrumed in said socket, the upper edge of each of said sectionsprojecting beyond said carrier and normally lying at an acute angle withrespect to the axis of the carrier, each of said elements furtherprovided with an inclined crimping edge terminating at its inner end ina recess, a vertically movable pressure exerting member surrounding thecarrier and adapted to engage the projecting portion of the flat upperedges of said elements for movinO said elements inwardly to crimp thecap around the bottle neck.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROSS V. GRAGGS.

lVitnesses WILLIAM O. EDMoNs'roN, ROBERT N. CRAGGS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

